Marielle has been one of my closest friends since 8th grade! It only feels right to have her by my side on my special day. She is incredibly smart, sincere, and fashionable. Marielle is one of those people that when you're with them it feels like no time has passed at all. I often miss the days when we lived together, drinking our coffee and playing Mario Kart or Beatle's RockBand. I am forever grateful that Marielle has been in my life and I know she will continue to be for years to come.

I have known Mary since I was in 4th grade! We met through youth soccer, where I desperately wanted to be her friend. Through years of band camp, playing soccer, and a shared love of Disney, I got my wish and now she is one of my best friends. Mary is one of those special people that can easily make you smile just by being around her. She is bubbly, and kind to everyone! I am so happy that she is a part of my life.

When I went to Duquesne, I still remember how nervous I was about making friends. Gabby changed that. She is one of the sweetest and smartest people I know. Gabby challenges me to learn more and to see the world from a new perspective. She easily has one of the biggest hearts and truly makes me want to be a better version of myself. Gabby is one of the biggest reasons why I look back on college with such fondness.

Caitlin is easily one of the coolest people I have ever met. I remember my first literature course at Duquense and sitting down next to her thinking "I love her bat earrings". Fast forward a few years, and Caitlin became one of my closest friends and roommate. Caitlin has the BEST taste in TV shows and movies and can make me laugh non-stop. If our friendship can survive after living in a hamster-sized apartment, I know it will last for years to come.

I have been incredibly lucky in life to have a cousin that is more like a sister to me. Abby has such a gentle soul and has been such a comfort for me. Since she was a little older, any struggle I faced, I knew I could go to her for guidance. When I think of happy moments from my childhood, Abby is in so many of them. From staying up late watching Project Runway, to having sleepovers and playing pretty pretty princess. I feel truly blessed that I have a cousin like Abby in my life.

Growing up, I always looked up to Sarah. She was my gauge for what was cool and what clothes were in fashion! I can still remember how excited I was everytime I got clothes from her, because I knew that they would be super stylish. She has taught me many valuable lessons in life and continues to amaze me with how strong of a person she is. Sarah is more than a cousin to me, she is a big sister and friend, and it is a friendship I get to have lifelong.

Angela is one of the funniest people I know. Not only am I lucky enough to have her as a cousin, but I get to call her my friend. Angela is one of those people that only has to look in my direction and I bust out laughing. Angela is down for whatever adventure life throws at her. I hope that only someday, I can be half as fun as her.

I wish I could say I am the cool older cousin, but when it comes to Jess, she is way cooler than me. Jess is someone that has such an open heart which truly amazes me. She is fun, empathetic, and passionate. She is incredibly smart and is taking the world by storm. I can still remember all the times we begged our parents to let us have sleep overs growing up. Having such a big family, I am lucky to have cousins and friends for life.

Sara is my life long friend as well as cousin! Every family function we had growing up, somehow we would end up in Sara's room talking for hours about everything happening in our lives. After 20 years, nothing has changed. Sara is an incredible dog mom and puts others before herself. She is fun, charismatic, and down to earth. She is the type of person everyone needs in their life.

I don't know how I would have gotten through my first year in Virginia if it wasn't for Bar. I met Bar through work, and she has transformed to a forever friend. Bar is the type of friend who tells you what you need to hear and keeps it real. She lends me an ear when I need to rant, or is ready to have a glass of wine and watch a movie when I need to relax. Bar is a true friend, one that I would never trade.

Anna is the little sister I never had! Watching her grow up has been one of the greatest joys of my life. Anna has a type of charisma and passion that is amazing to witness. She is an amazing actress and singer, but also has great taste in Disney channel tv shows. She is incredibly bright and I can't wait to see where life takes us in the future.

Eli is my older brother and my friendliest foe in life – or is it foeiest friend? Whenever we aren’t in a heated battle on the minigolf course, we are almost certainly in a very competitive match of MarioKart, Mario Baseball, or Mario Superstrikers on the Gamecube. Eli is a very loyal person and takes great care of the people (and cats) that he loves. I’m so lucky and proud to have a forever friend in my brother Eli.

Ben is my oldest brother and my youngest parent. He is the first person I go to whenever I need advice. Apart from being a trusted guide in life, he is also a great person to hang out and laugh with. He is the most persistent and dedicated person I know, and I feel so proud to call him my brother. His hidden talent is being able to guess the year that any song was made within two years, so be sure to quiz him on our wedding day!

Sean is Maura’s oldest brother and quickly became a good friend of mine after meeting her family. Sean is one of the most brilliant people I know, and I would be terrified if this man ever walked into pub trivia on an opposing team. He is also one of the kindest and most welcoming people I know, and I’m so glad that I will be gaining him as a brother-in-law.

Christian has been one of my closest and earliest friends. It feels like we have essentially grown up together. He is incredibly thoughtful, caring, and analytical. He is the rare type of person who truly listens to you when you talk, instead of thinking about what he is going to say next. Christian also possesses one of the driest - in the best possible way - senses of humor that I know. I feel so lucky that our friendship has persisted throughout the years.

Vinny is one of the most adventurous and interesting people I know. I am always excited to see Vinny and hear about his newest hobbies and latest adventures. Usually the life of the party, he is also a very keen observer and contains more wisdom than most. Vinny and I share a love of poker, and I feel our playing styles are the truest reflection of our friendship: a mathematical and cautious player vs a courageous and confident risk-taker. I hope we remain friends long enough that I can win back a fraction of what I have lost to him over the years.

Matt and I met on the first day of college and never looked back. We instantly connected through a love of baseball, politics, and music. We were roommates for the last three years of college, and I don’t believe we ever had a major disagreement. He is incredibly kind, funny, emotionally intelligent, and creative. I will always cherish our friendship that means so much to me.

I met Alec halfway through college. I now live about 15 minutes from Alec in the DC area, which is a great fortune because he is one of those friends who makes you want to be a better person just by being himself. He is personable, well-read, hilarious, and rational to a tee (a byproduct being his perennial Pirates pessimism, which brings me down every early April).

Jared, known colloquially as J Rog, Joj, JaredRogers96thousandmillionbillion, and John Stamos, is a man with many nicknames and many talents. Jared is the reigning champion of my friends’ Fantasy Football League. He is also a barbecue pitmaster and a wonderful cook. One of my favorite things about Jared is that he is a great friend. He will always be there for you when you need him, and he makes sure to always stay in touch with his friends.

Harry and I met on the day we moved into our college dorm. Our friendship continued through all of our math and philosophy classes taken together, and in our competitive pickup basketball games. Harry is soft-spoken, extremely self-aware, hard-working, and is the type of person who speaks more with his actions than his words. We would all be lucky if we had a friend like Harry.

Cooper is one of the most generous people I know. He also happens to be one of the goofiest, too. Cooper and I share a love of music and board games. I have always admired how Cooper can become friends with everyone without it being forced. He makes everyone feel included and always looks for and brings out the best in others.